Red Oak Slabbing Project

[JohnM]

Well I guess this goes under the 'trial by fire' category... ;D

My first time slabbing with the Lucas will be on this Red Oak some family friends just had cut down.  (will likely 'practice' on some pine first )


 
As it sits at 23', it's 48" at the base, 45-46" where the Logrite is and maybe tapers to 36" at the 'small' end (didn't measure).  It's on quite a heavy slope and I intend to chunk it into three pieces but it's going to be a bear getting the mill around it.  I'll have my tractor and winch there but a 37hp tractor and 8k lb winch isn't going to help much. :

I'm not sure the first 8' will give me much for slabs but I figured I gotta try.   

 

You can see the hole stops between the Logrite and the butt.  It doesn't look like it but that is about 8' up from the base.  I'm hoping the worst of the rot is below that hole.   

 

The other plus is, I didn't see any metal stain in the butt.  However I'm not going to kid myself thinking there is none in there.  The tree was 30' from the back of a 200+ yr old house.  A metal detector will be in use. ;D

The lumber that I'll get from just the branches should be mighty nice.


 


 

There are 2-3 other 'millable' pieces not pictured.

I'm pretty excited about the whole project but it's going to test me no doubt (and whoever I sucker into helping ;D).  I'll be keeping (and hopefully selling) the slabs and lumber.  Part of the deal is bringing my splitter down and processing all the firewood from the branches and slabs from the milling for my friends to keep/burn.  There's got to be 3+ cord in just the branches!

I'm 2-3 weeks away from starting this 'little' project so any advice on how thick to cut the slabs, how to maneuver this beast or anything else you can think of would be much appreciated.

JM

[Magicman]

It will be interesting to watch your sawing progress.   

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

I'll come help you John. Wait on me.  ;D

[m wood]

sorry john, I have no advice on a lucas operation, but I am also interested in updates as you progress.
mark

[beenthere]

John
What length slabbing saw do you have on the Lucas?

Seems with your tractor,  winch and doing some parbuckling, you should be able to roll those logs around to most any position you'd want. No dragging, just rolling with the cables and maybe some wedges/blocking under for pivoting. Sound reasonable to you?

[JohnM]

John
What length slabbing saw do you have on the Lucas?

Seems with your tractor,  winch and doing some parbuckling, you should be able to roll those logs around to most any position you'd want. No dragging, just rolling with the cables and maybe some wedges/blocking under for pivoting. Sound reasonable to you?

I plan on cutting it up into roughly 8' chunks, BT.  I've never parbuckled anything in my life :D but yes that thought has crossed my mind.

I'll come help you John. Wait on me.  ;D

David, I'll bring it to you!  Do you know anyone with a trailer I could use? ;) ;D

[terrifictimbersllc]

Rolling even big logs is pretty easy with a tractor and chain having a hook on the end of it.  You can buy a hook from LogRite (ask for a megahook replacement hook).  Even if the logs are not that round.  You can usually get them to where you want to go.  Good luck.  PM me if you have trouble with your slabber chain and want some suggestions.

[thecfarm]

My thing is rocks. I have rolled some BIG rocks. Some that I did not even think of picking up. If you could lay down some of those limbs,one would help,but get 2 wide and you could really roll it. Might want to lay a couple limbs the other way to stop it too.    Saw off what is left of the limb even to the log and it would roll easier. Keep you bucket out of the dirt as you roll it.In 8 foot sections you should be able to move that easy with your loader.

[Nomad]

     Keep your chain files and depth gauge tool handy too.

[logboy]

You don't need to pick the logs up to move them.  Just roll them where you need them, even if it means dragging one end at a time. Today I had a tree service drop off a 4,000 pound Walnut crotch I need to slab. My 763 Bobcat is nowhere close to lifting it, but I can slide it and maneuver it as needed. Just take your time and be smart.

Another option you have is to set the mill up around them and slab until you can lift them and get them to level ground and on some 6 x 6 timbers instead of the ground. If that is the case, make sure you are sawing downhill and not uphill. I've done both as the situation dictates, downhill is definitely more fun and easier on the back. But you do what you have to.

When you are slabbing, try and measure off the pith on both ends and have one cut go right through the middle. That way you get a book matched pair in case you (or someone else) want a double wide table. If you have a fork in a log, prop up both limbs so theyre level to the ground so as to maximize the slab. Try not to go parallel to the bark with a log that has a lot of taper.

Remember that for slabbing, your kerf is 3/8", not 1/4". So when you adjust your cranks, you need to add an eighth inch.  So if you are sawing 3 inch slabs, drop it to 3-1/8" on your scale. My slabs are generally between 2 1/2 and 3 inches thick.  If they are over 36 I say go 3 inches.  If they are less than that you can get away with 2 1/2.  The wider the slab, the more it will have to be cleaned up if it cups or warps.

You need some wedges to keep the slabs from pinching as you cut.  I use regular bright green felling wedges. You can pound the heck out of them and they last,  and are highly visible in the sawdust.  When you are a couple feet into the log start pounding one in. ONLY pound in a wedge while you are cutting or you will leave a major line across your slabs.  If you are going 8 feet, when you are 5 feet or so into the log (your first wedge should be pounded completely in at this point) put another wedge in each side. You need these otherwise the slab will fall and pinch your bar and chain at the end. The same rule applies about only pounding them in while you are cutting. If they are not pounded in enough and you shove the mill through the end of the cut, you will rip your chain off. Go easy at the end. The mill should push away from the log with one finger.  If it hangs up pound your wedges in.

Watch the temperature on the bar. Put your hand on the bar to check it. Pushing a dull chain will heat it up very quickly. Sometimes you can't help it, especially if you hit metal or a rock in the middle and need to finish the cut. I keep gallon jugs of water handy to dump on the bar when I'm done.  All it takes is a little splash to cool it off.   By doing this, and occasionally dumping some on during a long cut,  I can get one or two more cuts before the chain needs to be swapped out.

These are a few things to help you out.  At this point I could write you a book on the subject of slabbing with a Lucas.  If you have any other questions, just ask. 

[JohnM]

WOW J.R.!   Thank you very much for the info.  And thanks to everyone else for the advice and well wishes.  I'm feeling more confident about moving the chunks around, should be interesting.  I'll post updates as things move along.  J.R. I may well give you a buzz in a week or two (believe I've got your #, if not I'll PM you).

JM

[Seaman]

 J.R. , I want a signed copy of the book if you ever decide to do it! 8)
Frank

[JohnM]

J.R. , I want a signed copy of the book if you ever decide to do it! 8)
Frank

+1 ;D

[logboy]

I think I need to finish my first book, first.

[Seaman]

John, did you do this job ?
Frank

[JohnM]

John, did you do this job ?
Frank

Not yet, Frank, trying to finish up some projects here at home.  Need to finish repairing my firewood shed and then fill said shed. :   Hunting season is here too.

[JohnM]

John, did you do this job ?
Frank

Not yet, Frank, trying to finish up some projects here at home.  Need to finish repairing my firewood shed and then fill said shed. :   Hunting season is here too.

Frank, I need to thank you for getting my tail in gear a bit for this. ;D  Called LCS finally : and ordered my parts for the slabber.  Nearly $600 worth!   (drive hub, sprocket, 2 chains/blades and the fancier blade lube thingy).  Plus ordered a cheapy metal detector.  Hopeful to get my tractor, winch and splitter to the site this weekend/early next week.  Also got the kids to put a trailer load of wood in the shed 8) (not the part I'm working on) and found a spot to hang my climbing stand.  Don't really have time to hunt so maybe the stand site will 'cool off' by the time I can use it. ;D

Will let y'all know how things develop.

[Seaman]

OUTSTANDING!

[thecfarm]

Good luck to ya John.

[JohnM]

"Some" progress mixed with plans "A" through at least "E". :

Limbs, chunks, pieces etc. all split.  Some of the nicest firewood I've ever handled.


  

 

Managed to get the log 'chunked' into three pieces.


  

 

The 'bad' center goes further up than I had hoped.  (Water and gunk started spitting out when I got to the bottom of the cut. :()   I think I can still get some slabs out of the second and third log and I may just see what I can get for lumber out of the butt.

 

Here's where things get 'iffy'.  Plan "A" is to bring everything, all logs up to and including the butt logs, back to my house for sawing and slabbing.  Reasons being; it gets me out of my friends yard sooner, allows me to go at it at my own pace and lets me hunt the last week of muzzle loader season. ;D  The only real issue is getting the two big logs on the trailer.  You guys were right, the tractor and winch move everything around ok, the big branches/logs and even got the butt rolling which is what finally broke it in to two pieces.  But as it stands right now she's kinda stuck, winch wouldn't pull it down the hill.  I stopped by Tractor Supply on the way home and picked up another snatchblock, so we'll have two of those and maybe with some par-buckling we can get up on the trailer.  (My friend that's helping me thinks that with the snatchblocks we can pull them right on to the trailer but I'm not so sure....)  And yes, we'll only be putting one on the trailer at a time. ;) ;D  The calculator has the butt at just under 6k lbs.

Wish us luck and I'll let know how it goes.  (Hope it's me that lets you know. :-\ ;) ;D)

JM

[beenthere]

JohnM
Will the tractor FEL or the 3 ph lift one end of the big logs off the ground?

[thecfarm]

I would hope that tractor could pick up one end.It's about 40hp. Good luck John.

[JohnM]

JohnM
Will the tractor FEL or the 3 ph lift one end of the big logs off the ground?

I would hope that tractor could pick up one end.It's about 40hp. Good luck John.

Fraid not.  I did that for one of the smaller logs/branches (11'x24"ish) to get a choker under it...it didn't even want to curl it.  It did it but it didn't want to. :-\  Needless to say getting the tires loaded is high on the priority list. :

[thecfarm]

Nothing in them tires will make a big diffeance. I thought they was loaded.Once you load them,you will be able to use the tractor more.I know the money factor. I know how that is.

[beenthere]

And you think the 3 ph will not lift the log if you leave the splitter on, shorten the top link, and put a chain around the log and the splitter beam?  Keeping extra weight in the bucket.  The 3 ph has more lift than the FEL.

If you can lift one log end, and block it, then the other end and block it, you can get it up to trailer height and back the trailer under the leading edge of the log. Then scoot it on the rest of the way using the winch to pull and the tractor to push.   Might work. But keep that log stable when blocking so it cannot roll.